Sample preparation has conventionally been accomplished either by hand or by expensive, highly specialized automated systems that are limited in functionality. For example, the conventional automated systems are generally limited in their pipetting capacities and/or may require a particular type, brand, arrangement, or volume capacity labware. Therefore, each biomolecular technique or assay may require a separate automated system for achieving high-throughput analysis and data. For those laboratories of limited resources, individualized systems are not economically feasible and the laboratory may be limited to sample preparation by hand, which results in decreased throughput and potentially increased pipetting variation and error.
There remains a need for a fully automated sample preparation system that adaptable to a wide range of techniques. Further, the sample preparation system would preferably interface with other sample handling systems and to grow with the increasing needs of the laboratory.